Gastronomy News

France, saves restaurant from closure by putting menu at €10: “Better to have low prices”

by:
Elisa Erriu
|
copertina chef

The key was the introduction of an anti-crisis formula: a full meal including appetizer, main course, dessert, coffee and a glass of wine, all for only 10 euros.

Cover photo for representative purposes

The News

Who said that with a ticket-restaurant you can barely scrape together a salad and a glass of water? Laurent Berger, a Haute-Vienne restaurateur, has defied the logic of soaring prices and, with a stunt as simple as it is revolutionary, has avoided the closure of his restaurant thanks to a full menu for only 10 euros. A winning strategy that, every day, fills his room with customers booked well in advance. When he took over the Le Bellevue restaurant in 2022, Berger soon came to terms with a ruthless reality: without a solid clientele, losses were piling up at an alarming rate, so much so that bankruptcy seemed just around the corner. "My accountant was not giving a dime on my survival. Today he says I have made a miracle in a few months. It's a daily struggle, but it's worth it,” , Berger tells Le Figaro.

foto generiche chef UNSPLASH 2
 

The cornerstone was the introduction of an anti-crisis formula: a full meal including appetizer, main course, dessert, coffee and a glass of wine, all for only 10 euros. The proposal immediately caught the attention of local workers and residents alike, creating a small gastronomic revolution accessible to all. Recently, the menu offered Moroccan-style caviar d'aubergines, cod filet with Provençal-style potatoes, and a classic tarte aux pommes.

foto generiche chef UNSPLASH 1
 

To keep the price competitive without compromising quality, Berger has honed the art of negotiation: he buys products close to expiration at discount prices and negotiates every supply to the penny.You have to buy carefully and negotiate every purchase down to the last detail. You can't get anything wrong," the restaurateur explains. The result? An average cost per meal of only 3.50 euros, allowing enough margin to keep the business afloat. The initiative has turned Le Bellevue into a hotspot for people who work nearby, from insurance employees to retirees looking for a hot meal at an affordable price. "Now I come here every Friday, at 10 euros I can afford it. And on that day there is also couscous!” says one regular customer, Hervé Potiron.

bellevuehoteldevanturerestaurant 20221213143517
@Le Bellevue

But the real strength of the offer is loyalty: those who try the 10-euro menu often return and switch to the 16-euro menu, at will. A domino effect that has allowed Berger to employ six people and even consider opening new restaurants with the same formula. At a time when the restaurant industry struggles with price increases on raw materials and personnel costs, the case of Le Bellevue shows that ingenuity and the ability to adapt can make all the difference. Perhaps the way for the industry's survival lies not just in raising prices, but in clever reformulation of supply. A model to replicate?

bellevueterrasse1 20221213143532jpg
@Le Bellevue

Latest news

show all

We respect your Privacy.
We use cookies to ensure you an accurate experience and in line with your preferences.
With your consent, we use technical and third-party cookies that allow us to process some data, such as which pages are visited on our website.
To find out more about how we use this data, read the full disclosure.
By clicking the ‘Accept’ button, you consent to the use of cookies, or configure the different types.

Configure cookies Reject
Accept